diff --git a/js/src/modals/DeployContract/DetailsStep/detailsStep.js b/js/src/modals/DeployContract/DetailsStep/detailsStep.js
index 06b5a85bb..8d0a2457c 100644
--- a/js/src/modals/DeployContract/DetailsStep/detailsStep.js
+++ b/js/src/modals/DeployContract/DetailsStep/detailsStep.js
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export default class DetailsStep extends Component {
           label='contract name'
           hint='a name for the deployed contract'
           error={ nameError }
-          value={ name }
+          value={ name || '' }
           onChange={ this.onNameChange } />
 
         <Input
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@ export default class DetailsStep extends Component {
     const contractName = Object.keys(contracts)[index];
     const contract = contracts[contractName];
 
+    if (!this.props.name || this.props.name.trim() === '') {
+      this.onNameChange(null, contractName);
+    }
+
     const { abi, bin } = contract;
     const code = /^0x/.test(bin) ? bin : `0x${bin}`;
 
diff --git a/js/src/util/validation.js b/js/src/util/validation.js
index c41cae29e..c0a58655d 100644
--- a/js/src/util/validation.js
+++ b/js/src/util/validation.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export function validateAbi (abi, api) {
   try {
     abiParsed = JSON.parse(abi);
 
-    if (!api.util.isArray(abiParsed) || !abiParsed.length) {
+    if (!api.util.isArray(abiParsed)) {
       abiError = ERRORS.invalidAbi;
       return { abi, abiError, abiParsed };
     }